Analyzing the FFR: A tutorial for decoding the richness of auditory function

Krizman, Jennifer; Kraus, Nina

doi:10.1016/j.heares.2019.107779

Cited by 105 publications

(132 citation statements)

References 92 publications

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“…As a noninvasive far-field potential response, it reflects the synchrony of neural activity generated by the lateral and inferior colliculus in the brainstem [ 14 ]. It is believed to reflect the phase-locking activity of multiple generators in the auditory brainstem [ 15 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Learning a Second Language in Adulthood Changes Subcortical Neural Encoding

et al. 2020

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Second language learning has been shown to impact and reshape the central nervous system, anatomically and functionally. Most of the studies on second language learning and neuroplasticity have been focused on cortical areas, whereas the subcortical neural encoding mechanism and its relationship with L2 learning have not been examined extensively. The purpose of this study was to utilize frequency-following response (FFR) to examine if and how learning a tonal language in adulthood changes the subcortical neural encoding in hearing adults. Three groups of subjects were recruited: native speakers of Mandarin Chinese (native speakers (NS)), learners of the language (L2 learners), and those with no experience (native speakers of foreign languages (NSFL)). It is hypothesized that differences would exist in FFRs obtained from the three language experience groups. Results revealed that FFRs obtained from L2 learners were found to be more robust than the NSFL group, yet not on a par with the NS group. Such results may suggest that in human adulthood, subcortical neural encoding ability may be trainable with the acquisition of a new language and that neuroplasticity at the brainstem level can indeed be influenced by L2 learning.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Learning a Second Language in Adulthood Changes Subcortical Neural Encoding

et al. 2020

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“…5,8,41,42 The FFR captures microsecond-fast neural activity that is a combination of the evoked response to sound and the auditory system’s ongoing background neural activity. 25,27,34 Thus, the FFR reflects both how well acoustic features are processed and the health of the infrastructure of the auditory system. These 2 aspects of auditory processing work in tandem to influence the strength of auditory encoding and are reflected in the FFR as the magnitude of the response relative to the background noise.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These 2 aspects of auditory processing work in tandem to influence the strength of auditory encoding and are reflected in the FFR as the magnitude of the response relative to the background noise. 27,34…”

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confidence: 99%

Play Sports for a Quieter Brain: Evidence From Division I Collegiate Athletes

et al. 2019

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Background: Playing sports has many benefits, including boosting physical, cardiovascular, and mental fitness. We tested whether athletic benefits extend to sensory processing—specifically auditory processing—as measured by the frequency-following response (FFR), a scalp-recorded electrophysiological potential that captures neural activity predominately from the auditory midbrain to complex sounds. Hypothesis: Given that FFR amplitude is sensitive to experience, with enrichment enhancing FFRs and injury reducing them, we hypothesized that playing sports is a form of enrichment that results in greater FFR amplitude. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Level of Evidence: Level 3. Methods: We measured FFRs to the speech syllable “da” in 495 student-athletes across 19 Division I teams and 493 age- and sex-matched controls and compared them on 3 measures of FFR amplitude: amplitude of the response, amplitude of the background noise, and the ratio of these 2 measures. Results: Athletes have larger responses to sound than nonathletes, driven by a reduction in their level of background neural noise. Conclusion: These findings suggest that playing sports increases the gain of an auditory signal by turning down the background noise. This mode of enhancement may be tied to the overall fitness level of athletes and/or the heightened need of an athlete to engage with and respond to auditory stimuli during competition. Clinical Relevance: These results motivate athletics overall and engagement in athletic interventions for populations that struggle with sensory processing, such as individuals with language disorders. Also, because head injuries can disrupt these same auditory processes, it is important to consider how auditory processing enhancements may offset injury.

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“…Measured with an electroencephalograph (EEG), brainstem responses are acquired via multiple repetitions of a simple short stimulus, such as a syllable. As the brainstem response mimics the acoustic stimulus in both intensity, time, and frequency [58], a measure of acoustic fidelity can be established. It has been shown that musicians have a higher acoustic fidelity in their brainstem response than nonmusicians [59].…”

Section: Pitchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Musical Training for Auditory Rehabilitation in Hearing Loss

Lerousseau

Hidalgo

Schön

2020

JCM

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Despite the overall success of cochlear implantation, language outcomes remain suboptimal and subject to large inter-individual variability. Early auditory rehabilitation techniques have mostly focused on low-level sensory abilities. However, a new body of literature suggests that cognitive operations are critical for auditory perception remediation. We argue in this paper that musical training is a particularly appealing candidate for such therapies, as it involves highly relevant cognitive abilities, such as temporal predictions, hierarchical processing, and auditory-motor interactions. We review recent studies demonstrating that music can enhance both language perception and production at multiple levels, from syllable processing to turn-taking in natural conversation.

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Analyzing the FFR: A tutorial for decoding the richness of auditory function

Cited by 105 publications

References 92 publications

Learning a Second Language in Adulthood Changes Subcortical Neural Encoding

Learning a Second Language in Adulthood Changes Subcortical Neural Encoding

Play Sports for a Quieter Brain: Evidence From Division I Collegiate Athletes

Musical Training for Auditory Rehabilitation in Hearing Loss

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